Bring generosity to a new level:

answer a question with the answer and bonus information. The Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wasallam would sometimes answer a question and dish out more information to the questioner. This is one of the etiquettes of teaching from the sunnah, which was covered yesterday in class, mashaallah. It was also mentioned by Muhammad Alshareef in his audio lecture, 21 Teaching Techniques which we had for our Seats of Scholars class sometime ago. The reason behind this technique is taking into account the mode of reception the questioner is already in. Imagine our children asking us a question about anything. The fact that the child is asking the question already puts him in a position ready to receive information. We only need to input and he is ready to process it, as opposed to us forcing the child to digest information when he feels least disposed to even allow the fed information to enter his brain. Think back to times when we sit in languor in school, wishing that we could be outside and play instead, while the teacher drones on at the blackboard, explaining how the British occupied your country.

Imam Malik's Muwatta: Book 2, Number 2.3.12:

Yahya related to me from Malik from Safwan ibn Sulaym from Said ibn Salama of the Bani Azraq from al-Mughira ibn Abi Burda of the tribe of Bani Abd ad-Dar that he had heard Abu Hurayra speak about a man who came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, "Messenger of Allah! We travel by sea and we do not carry much fresh water with us so if we do wudu with it we go thirsty. Can we do wudu with seawater?" The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, "lts water is pure, and its dead creatures are halal."

In this hadith, the prophet sallallaahu walayhi wasallam answered the question and added,

"its dead creatures are halal."

The man never inquired about the halalness of dead creatures of the sea, but the prophet salllallahu alayhi wasallam generously offered than information anyway. Why?

The wisdom behind this is this particular technique in teaching. The mind of the questioner is already in 'input' mode, so it's especially receptive to receiving information. To optimize the input process when the mind is in this state is the epitome of using hikmah in teaching, subhanallah.


In the course of their childhood, our children will ask us a lot of questions, sometimes too much. Instead of giving curt replies, we should take advantage of these learning opportunities, and be generous.

So the next time your child asks you,

"Ummi, why is the sky blue?

You might want to answer,

"Because blue light is scattered more than the other colored light, and the angels drive the clouds to where Allah wants to bring rain."

However, if they ask,

"Mommy, where do babies come from?"

Use your hikmah and gauge their understanding, age, and the real question behind that much-feared question.